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By: Ben (Hmm? What? Oh, yeah. Massah was an accidental character. I'm still thinking if I can work him into the storyline. Whatever.) Cavoh lay in the grass beside a discontented stream that murmured complaints down its crystal path, gleaming in the golden sunset. It was nightfall and he had been travelling since daybreak. It was the horse's complaints that convinced Cavoh to stop for the night, not his own body's, as loud as they were. 'It is best I start a fire.' Cavoh thought calmly to himself as he went about the task of gathering wood. Suya sighed, a few leaves fluttering upward on her breath. Had she saved herself at the last possible moment or had she actually fallen to her death and simply somehow magically have been revived? She didn't even know. With another sigh, she straightened her cloak, dusting it off before walking on down the path, a light tune flowing from the shadows of her hood. Cavoh sat against a rock warmed by the previous day's sun, providing him with heat for his back while the fire spread warm, soothing tendrils from its hellish dance to take care of his front. He sighed, staring into the fire, as if sharing kinship with it. The memories WOULD never leave him. What would happen to him after he killed Suya? He would still be haunted by the ghosts of his past, but now he would have not a thing to focus his reason for living upon. What would become of him? The dark thoughts were shattered from his head by a rattle in the nearby bushes. The soft scraping of steel could be heard as Cavoh's sword was drawn from its hard, cold case. The sword was an odd sort, normal enough at the part of the blade near the black hilt, but as it came to its end, it bulged out suddenly, forming a spade-like shape that contained a wider tip. The spade sparkled in the pale light of a dreary moon that hung high in its kingdom of stars. Pieces of many jewels had been flattened to form thin sheets, each welded to the surface of the spade end, coming together to form an odd sort of fractalated design that threw a light rainbow upon random points. The hilt was made of black stone, with handle molded to fit Cavoh's hand exactly and a protrusion from the top and bottom of the handle that curved over his fingers. On the flat part of the hilt was a smaller version of the jewelled flower on his shield. Cavoh moved silently forward, not noticing the root that was covered by shadows. With a gasp of surprise, he fell forward, uncerimoniously sprawled on the ground, sword thrusting out into the rustling bushes. A man jumped out, barely dodging the sword. Man: Ay! Watch your blade, there! Cavoh scowled as he pulled himself up into a standing position, trying in vain to regain his dignity and pointing the sword threateningly at the man, who barely even gave a flinch. Cavoh: And who might you be, who tries to sneak up on dozing people. The man took two steps away from the blade, quickly mimicked by Cavoh, who was determined to hold the man within range of a sudden strike. Again, the man took a few steps back, backing towards the bush he had been at before. Again, Cavoh went flying to the ground by the same mischievious root. Cavoh: Blast it all! Cavoh angrily sliced the root in half, drawing only a playful grin from the stranger, who bowed with a flourish. Man: I am called Massah, a simple wanderer who was drawn to your fire, sir. Cavoh growled at Massah. Cavoh: What do you want of me? Massah: My apologies, sir, I have been wandering all day, and I simply would like a warm place to sleep, if it would not trouble you. Cavoh suspiciously inspected the man. He wore a simple outfit, a tattered leather tunic with a white cotton shirt beneath it, sheepskin pants and a oddly-shaped leather hat along with a brown woolen poncho draped loosely about his shoulders. The man's eyes were hidden in the darkness of night, so Cavoh relied solely on the man's rather harmless appearance. He sighed heavily. Cavoh: Very well, it would be good to have someone to talk to, either way. Massah smiled happily, bowed and took a seat on the ground. Massah: I thank you, sir. Two shadows loomed in the darkness of the forest, both cloaked in black, their faces painted black as well to make them complete shadows except for the small dots of white that were their eyes. First man: Did you see him? Second man: Yes, he stopped not far from here. I know the way. First man: You sure it was him? Second man: Yes, only Prince Cavoh would have such a hairstyle. First: Very well, I will roust them. We attack at first light. Both shadows nodded and disappeared into the all-concealing darkness of night. <~~Back to Stories <~~Back to Suya Index |